Mahela Jayawardene’s Top 3 Performances in Test Cricket

The era of Sri Lankan Cricket during the 2000s is well remembered where the Sri Lankans had some of the best batters in the world. One among them is Mahela Jayawardene. The graceful batter has won many games for his country in his illustrious career and is regarded as one of the most legendary batters in the world.

Though Jayawardene did play some great innings in ODI’s and T20I’s it is his Test career that built him up as a player. This is where we saw some of the best innings in international cricket, which is one of the most technically gifted talents to have ever graced the field. His great red ball career consists of over 11500 runs in 149 matches at a healthy average of 49.84.

Without delay here are the top 3 performances from Mahela Jayawardene in Test cricket:

3. 167 vs New Zealand in 1998

This was the match where we were introduced to the graceful performance of Jayawardena in Test cricket. This was the Gall pitch where even the best of players were struggling. Jayawardene came into the game and scored a magnificent innings of 167 from 278 deliveries making sure his team got to a decent total. This was his first hundred in red-ball cricket and it was enough to get the Lankans a win by an innings of 16 runs. 

2. 119 vs England in 2006

Performing at the Lords is always a dream for every batter and this was what Jayawardene did by playing one of the best captain’s knocks in the Mecca of Cricket. England had already put up a total of 551 on the board, and while Mahela did try his best by scoring 61 in the first innings it was not enough to get his side close to the score. However, it was the second innings where we saw Mahela come to change the game completely. Mahela’s innings of 119 from 220 deliveries were enough to take his team out of trouble and played a huge role in drawing a game which was looking like a losing cause for the team.

1. 374 vs South Africa in 2006

Jayawardena’s innings in Colombo against South Africa in 2006 were exceptional and vividly remembered by cricketing fans. The openers had been dismissed early in the match and it was up to skipper Mahela Jayawardene and Sangakkara to form a partnership. This turned out to be one of the highest partnerships for the Lankans in Test Cricket and it was Mahela Jayawardene who was the centre of attention. Jayawardene went on to score 374 runs in 572 deliveries and dominated every South African bowler on the day. There is no doubt this is one of the greatest displays of graceful batting which consisted of 43 boundaries and a six. 

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